The Duplicitous Nature of Chest Monsters
by quidditchmum
Summary: Harry seeks counsel after his chest monster rears its ugly head during an outing with Ginny.


Harry Potter was frantically pacing in front of the entrance to the Headmistress' office, wondering exactly how he had gotten there and how the perfect day he'd been anticipating for six whole weeks had gone tits up so quickly. Wasn't it only an hour ago that he was admiring the fall foliage, amazed at how the different shades of red, orange, brown, and gold reminded him of the multitude of colors and highlights in Ginny's hair whilst he waited for her at the gates of Hogwarts?

It was the first Hogsmeade weekend since Ginny had left to complete her seventh year and he had been longing to see her since their rather passionate parting at King's Cross Station on the first of September.

Harry was so excited, he tossed and turned for most of the night before finally giving sleep up as a bad job sometime just before dawn. He was almost embarrassed to admit how much time and thought he had put into his outfit for the day, going so far as to make a special trip to the Burrow to retrieve a Weasley jumper from the attic. The air was turning decidedly crisp and he remembered Ginny commenting several times during sixth year that he looked rather fit in said jumper. He had had to recruit Mrs. Weasley to help him expand it a bit, as he had expanded a bit since sixth year (in a good way Ginny assured him) and he had applied more than one freshening charm to get rid of a smell he could not identify, but assumed was associated with the ghoul.

He had spent an inordinate amount of time in front of the mirror making sure his hair was just so. Ron could take the mickey all he wanted, but he had been just as pathetic in preparing for his date with Hermione.

Their reunion at the gate was everything he had anticipated and more, but it all went pear shaped just moments later. Why he had lost his temper with Neville and questioned Ginny as to why she was friendly with so many blokes, he was sure he did not know.

Understandably, Ginny was not amused with his outburst, but to her credit she did not hex him. After giving him a thorough tongue lashing, which he knew he deserved, she informed him she would be going into Hogsmeade without him and that he had exactly one hour to pull his head out of his arse. If he could accomplish that, he could meet her at the Three Broomsticks and they could start the day over. The alternative to him pulling his head out of his arse was not something he wanted to think about at all.

Harry was interrupted from further analyzing the morning's disaster by the arrival of Professor McGonagall. "Mr. Potter, I'm surprised to see you here. If the gossip amongst the portraits is anything to go on, I would have thought you would be enjoying the company of Miss Weasley this morning."

"I did, rather I _do_ have plans with Ginny today, but I was wondering if I might have a word with the Headmaster?"

McGonagall considered him briefly. "That's a rather unusual request Potter, but I suppose you wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"No." Harry said with all the sincerity he could muster. "It is rather urgent."

The Headmistress nodded her head crisply and escorted Harry to what was now her office, but in his mind would always belong to Professor Dumbledore.

"I suppose you'll be needing some privacy then?"

Harry nodded. "If you wouldn't mind."

"Just let yourself out after you've finished. I hope you enjoy your outing with Miss Weasley. I know she has been looking forward to it."

Harry watched her depart before slowly turning to Dumbledore's portrait. He had not spoken with the Headmaster since immediately after the final battle. When he looked up, the Headmaster's gaze was upon him and Harry was comforted by the familiar twinkle in his eyes.

"Harry, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company this morning? I rather expected you to be spending the day with Miss Weasley in Hogsmeade. I had tea with Violet and the Fat Lady just yesterday and it was all they could talk about."

Harry should have been surprised that even the portraits were gossiping about he and Ginny, but somehow he wasn't. "I have seen Ginny this morning," Harry explained, "but we've had a bit of a row. She's given me an hour to sort myself out and I really have a matter of some importance that I need to discuss with you."

Dumbledore clasped his hands together and placed them on his chin. "Please proceed. I must admit I find myself most intrigued."

Harry took a deep breath. He really needed to get this settled so he could get back to Ginny. If he bollixed this up, he wouldn't have a chance to see her again until the first Quidditch match and their time then would be limited due to Ginny's responsibilities as Gryffindor's captain.

"Professor, I know when we spoke, er, at King's Cross, you seemed certain that my connection to Voldermort was broken and I know he's dead and all, but I've been having these, these feelings that aren't, well they don't seem to belong to me."

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed and the comforting twinkle seemed to vanish. "Do I understand you correctly, Harry, that your scar is still bothering you?"

"No, sir. It's not my scar. It hasn't so much as twinged since, well since the battle. It's more in the vicinity of my chest that I'm having the problem." Harry lifted his hand and rubbed it right over his heart.

"I see, and what makes your think these feelings might belong to Voldermort."

"Well, like this morning, out of nowhere I felt really angry for a moment and I wanted to hurt Neville. Neville! Neville's one of my best mates and for a minute something inside me, inside my chest just wanted to rip him off…" Harry began pacing again, as the negative feelings he had felt towards his friend began to well up in him.

"Rip him off where Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Er, off Ginny sir," Harry answered rather sheepishly. "We ran into Neville on our way to town and he and Ginny, well he hugged her and this thing in my chest, well it feels like a sort of a monster really, wanted to just rip him right off her and then pound him a time or two for good measure."

"And did you act on those feelings?" Harry wasn't sure, but he thought the twinkle had returned.

"Not exactly. I didn't hurt him or anything, but I'm afraid I said a few things that weren't very polite and I've managed to make Ginny angry with me and I might have hurt her feelings too."

"I understand your concern Harry, but I can assure you that Voldermort is quite dead and the feelings you are experiencing are not coming from him. I must ask, are you concerned that Miss Weasley may be harboring some affection for Mr. Longbottom or he for her?"

"Oh no, sir. I mean Neville would be daft not to have noticed Ginny, and I know they went through a lot together last year whilst I was away, but I have no doubt that it's me Ginny cares for." Harry hadn't given it much thought, but he he knew as he was saying them that the words were true. "I trust her."

"Indeed, your Miss Weasley is a fierce and loyal companion. I've recently received a proper dressing down from her on your behalf, worthy of her mother I must say." Dumbledore smiled as if the memory he was reliving was a fond one.

"Ginny told you off?" It was all Harry could do not to laugh out loud.

"It seems she took issue, and rightfully so, with some of my dealings with you over the years." Dumbledore seemed to enjoy sharing the story immensely. "Called me a manipulative old coot and told me that whilst she may be able to forgive me over time, not to expect her to be naming any children after me."

Although he didn't know why, the picture of Ginny telling off the Headmaster made Harry feel all warm inside. He kind of liked it went she went all _Mrs.__Weasley_ on his account. And, he would never admit it to her, but seeing her in a temper (as long as it wasn't directed at him) always got him a bit charged up.

"Back to the matter at hand. When did you first take notice of this, as you referred to it, monster residing in your chest?"

Harry rifled through his memories before answering the Headmaster. "Well, sir I remember it being active as far back as my sixth year."

"Tell me what you remember."

"Well, Ginny and Ron had this terrible row." Harry scratched his head as he tried to remember the exact details. "Ron and I had taken a short cut to Gryffindor Tower and we came across Ginny and Dean…" Harry's voice trailed off and his hand made its way from his head to his chest as he pondered the unpleasant memory.

"I think I'm beginning to see a trend, aren't you Harry?"

"Sir?"

"This monster seems to rear its ugly head when Miss Weasley is in the presence of other gentlemen. I think, Harry, that the feelings you are experiencing may be your own jealousy."

Harry jerked his head up. "Jealous?" He considered it. "I hadn't thought of it. It sort of fits, but then again, the er, monster isn't always angry."

"Come again Harry."

"Well sometimes he's happy. He dances and well, occasionally he purrs." Harry wondered if this could be any more mortifying.

He wasn't sure, but he thought that the Headmaster was working to contain a grin, not that he could blame him. It all sounded rather mad. "I see. And can you recall a recent circumstance that caused your monster to dance or purr?

Harry reflected on Dumbledore's question thoughtfully and turned crimson when two such occasions immediately came to mind. The first was just a short time ago when he was snogging Ginny at the front gate and the second was the night before Ginny left for Hogwarts and his hand had become intimately acquainted with the assets usually covered by her blouse for the first time.

Suddenly everything was perfectly clear. "Ginny's right. I am a thick git sometimes."

"I'm sorry?"

"Thank you Professor. I think I've got this worked out now." Harry started moving backwards towards the door.

"My pleasure Harry. Please give my regards to Miss Weasley."

"I will and I'll work on that naming the kids thing." Harry shouted behind him as he began his descent down the staircase. He hit the ground running and did not stop until he reached the gates, trying to work out his apology to Ginny in his head whilst on the move. He almost hexed Filch when he attempted to delay his departure because he didn't have a permission slip. It took a moment to remind Filch that he was no longer a student and then he Apparated directly to the Three Broomsticks as soon he made it outside the gate.

As promised, Ginny was waiting for him. She didn't hex him on sight. He supposed that was a hopeful sign.

"Have you got yourself sorted out?" Ginny faced him straight on. Her arms were crossed.

When faced with her imposing figure, the apology he had mentally been working on flew right out of his mind. "Er, your hair looks like a leaf." Somehow that had sounded more romantic in his head when he was waxing poetic about it earlier.

Ginny clenched her jaw. "Harry Potter…"

This was not going well. Harry interrupted before she could build up a head of steam. "Er, you see there's this monster in my chest and it's not Voldermort but it didn't feel like my feelings but I didn't know and Dumbledore and now I understand." He ended weakly.

He knew he had totally resorted to blurtish – the language that Ginny and Hermione accused he and Ron of speaking when they were flustered about relationship stuff.

Ginny still had her arms crossed, but she didn't seem quite as angry. He knew she was rather fond of blurtish even though she liked to tease him about it. She was, however, at this moment, looking at him like he was completely mental.

Harry took a deep breath and did his best to cut to the heart of the matter so they could enjoy what was left of the day together. "I am a jealous prat."

"Yes you are." Ginny's arms were _still_ crossed, but Harry thought he detected a hint of a smirk beginning at the corner of her mouth. "And?"

"I'm sorry?" He asked hopefully.

That appeared to be the right answer, as Ginny's countenance seemed to thaw considerably. Harry bravely took a step closer to her and placed his hands at her waist. His courage was rewarded as she wrapped her arms around him and her hands slowly made their way to the nape of his neck. She had a fascination with the hair gathered there and truth be told he quite liked the feeling of her fiddling with it.

Harry leaned in to kiss her but was interrupted when Ginny's hand halted his progress. "You are a jealous prat, but you are my jealous prat and I can think of far more entertaining things for us to be doing today than rowing. Besides Harry, I've really missed you." With that, she closed the distance between them and proceeded to snog him senseless.

When they came up for air, Harry could only laugh at the West End musical that was currently being performed in his chest, complete with singing and dancing girls. Apparently his chest monster had friends.

"And what is it about snogging me that you find so funny, Potter?" Ginny tried to act like she was seriously offended, but Harry could tell she was only having him on.

"Well," Harry explained. "The monster in my chest is purring _and_ doing a happy dance right now."

Ginny pulled back and looked at him like he was a bit mad. "I'm afraid you're going to have to interpret that for me."

Harry looked into her eyes and said with the confidence of a man who knew his mind and his heart, "It means I love you and I am very happy."


End file.
